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Week 8 of 52

Flat Earth Cygnus X-1

February 18th thru February 24th

Brewer's Description

This robust English style porter has an add twist, rye.
Rye is used in making Canadian whiskey. It was created as a
tribute to our favorite band - Rush. Cygnus X-1 has a creamy mocha
chocolate flavor with a hint of spice. It has a slightly dry finish leaving you
wanting more. English hops balance out this 6.5% ABV beer.
Now Available year round!

Photography

April 4th, 2008

Great roasty, malty, mochafied, chocolatey taste when it hits the mouth. I can kinda pick up the rye on the aftertaste, but probably only because I read the description stating that it was in there. I can see where some others liken it more to a nut brown ale, reminiscent of Goose Island perhaps. Good aroma and dark in color, just like I like ‘em. The carbonation seems to be on the brink of perfection. This bowl o’ porridge is juuuuuuust right. The more I drink it, the more I like it. These Flat Earth cats know how to craft a fine brew. I give it a 4.5 only because perfection is the end of progression.

March 31st, 2008

I like this beer. I was hesitant to even try it, haven’t been too impressed with the other Flat Earth offerings. But, I can definitely see myself picking this beer up again. Solid porter, hint of chocolate and smoke. I think this would be really good on draft.

March 9th, 2008

I must say, I’m really impressed with the two Flat Earth beers I’ve sampled. Cygnus cost about $4 for the giant bottle of brew, and it was great. Dark, tasty, no aftertaste. At this point, the beers are so good, if they insist the earth is flat, I’m inclined to believe them.

March 8th, 2008

March 8th, 2008

This beer is great at a higher temp. Maybe 45 degrees or so. Doesn’t really strike me as a porter though(as the label reads, “a porter like no other.”)…more like a nut brown ale. It’s a little flat and I would say over priced for what your getting.

February 28th, 2008

Generally not a big fan of Flat Earth beers, but this one was a real surprise. First off, the science fiction theme was a bit of a downer at first but the taste was great! Just thick enough… hints like chocolate and oatmeal… very easy to drink and pretty full flavored. Yum. I’ll have this one again, please.

February 25th, 2008

Got to love a beer created as a tribute to the brewers favorite band – Rush. I had it on tap at the new Acadia Cafe. I’ve really been into porters the past few months, but this didn’t hit me right away. I’m really going to have to do more research for this beer before coming up with an honest review of it.

February 24th, 2008

I had a bottle a few weeks ago, and it was great, one of the better porters I’ve ever had. Then I had one this week for the review, and it had a ton of coffee, which some people love, but I’m not a fan of. I keep trying coffee porters, and not many are pleasing to my palate. With that in mind, I do think that cygnus nailed the style, but like many of Flat Earth’s beers, while very tasty, the inconsistency is frustrating. Woulda been a four, four-and-a-half. Keep it coming guys!

February 24th, 2008

This is defiantly not a beer to have after a hard days work, not that I’ve experienced that. It’s the beer that you try to impress your friends with and say, “Oh yeah, I LOVE dark beers….don’t you? Or are you a pussy?” I’ll drink this beer with a smile on my face, and it’s really not bad, but it just sits to heavy on my tongue. I end up tasting it too long afterward, and it doesn’t go well with any sort of food…I’ve tried.

February 24th, 2008

I hate to say it…but this is my first go-around with the products coming from the Flat Earth Guys. I guess I haven’t seen it as many MPLS bars/taverns as the Flat Earth website indicates. This is a very good Porter. It definitely doesn’t pack an overwhelming punch – which surprised me – but I like that it is not over powering. Goes down smooth, and the general beer drinker should find this easy to drink. I will definitely be going out of my way to check out the Pale Ale, etc. from FE.

February 24th, 2008

It’s smooth, it’s a little creamy, it’s a little sweet. If it were just a tad less hoppy and a tad sweeter, it’d be perfect for me. I like that I can taste hops, but they’re not overwhelming. The tall bottle is the perfect quantity for me for an evening. Looks beautiful in a pint glass.

February 24th, 2008

but I do understand my enjoyment of this beer. I had it twice. Once on tap at Stub and Herb’s and then also by behemoth bottle poured into glass in my own living room. Now I do enjoy my living room’s ambiance to that of Stub and Herb’s but the taste of this beer on draft definitely kicked the butt of its bottle brethren. No matter both were most delectable.

February 24th, 2008

“My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life…” -Ayn Rand

begat

“Live for yourself. There’s no one else more worth living for. Begging hands and bleeding hearts will only cry out for more.”
and
“I set a course just east of Lyra and northwest of Pegasus. Flew into the light of Deneb, sailed across the Milky Way.” -Neil Peart

begat

“This robust English style porter… has a creamy mocha chocolate flavor with a hint of spice.” -Flat Earth Brewing Company

Is this beer a delicious distillation of countless nineteen-year-olds’ favorite fantasy/philosophy? Or is it merely another bastard grandchild of a cold, bizarre Russian woman?

February 23rd, 2008

Another fine beer in the flat earth catalog, possibly my favorite!!! Although i think this is due more to my love for prog rock. Sad but true, i am a recovering rush fan. I have moved on to finer prog music but i did have to break out the old “A Farewell to Kings” album while drinking this tasty beverage. They went together great.

February 22nd, 2008

Either my hand shrunk or this beer was built for a giant. Imagine how heavy a 12 pack of these jugs would be. The gigantic bottle provides a nice oversized canvas for the exceptionally tasty Flat Earth Brewing Co. logo and graphics. I read somewhere that the guy in the blue suit is Geddy Lee’s step dad who accidentally discovered the Cygnus X-1 black hole with a pair of ill focused binoculars. Clearly he is a happy man, proudly gazing thirstily at his beer mug, oblivious to the fact that he is about to be swallowed by a swirling pastel vortex.

February 20th, 2008

My wife is laughing at me because I took the thermometer out to check the temp of the beer after I poured it. I like my Stouts and Porters warmer. So instead of putting the bottles in the fridge, I put in down the basement. Usually, I leave them down there for a awhile to cool, but in this case I didn’t so I wanted to know the temp—60 degrees a little warm, but not too bad. Anyway, I found this to be interesting Porter. It has a great chocolate aroma and taste. I agree with the bottle–a nice beer to drink next to the fire on a cold winter’s night!!

February 19th, 2008

Maybe it was just the big bottle and fun label that got me overly excited for the contents inside, but it was just okay to me. Slightly boring for the taste buds, but not a bad beer overall. The brewers description mentioned a creamy mocha chocolate flavor- I could taste the chocolate flavor, but being an avid chocolate lover I’d have to say I didn’t taste creamy mocha chocolate.

February 19th, 2008

This beer tasted like something I would get at my local starbucks only with an alcohol content. Let’s be clear, I am *not* a coffee fan. But, I actually liked this beer’s deep mocha flavor as it was balanced with a nice sweet flavor. This beer was a nice change of pace from last week’s Surly debacle. This beer did not crack my top 20 favorite beers but it was enjoyable. I tried this beer from the bottle and not on tap. I thought the 1pint 6oz bottle may just be *way* too much but I found that it was the perfect size to drink. Though I prefer .5l bottles so I can fit it all in my Augustiner .5l ceramic mug.

February 19th, 2008

February 19th, 2008

If I were a storyteller:

I would tell about the time I tried Cygnus X-1 and in a flash of light was whisked away to the farthest reaches of space in a giant bass guitar-shaped spaceship with a picture of menacing white owl on it. Then I would tell everyone I knew about what I saw: galaxies and worlds beyond our own, populated by beings who communicate in a language we can only understand if we drink strong, but not lingering porters that are surprisingly refreshing and come in 22 ounce bottles (and sometimes brandy snifters) and, of course, if we fly by night.

But that’s if I could really tell a story. I don’t think I’m very good, so forget it. It’s not important.

February 19th, 2008

“Not a fan of Rush/ a bit too trippy for me / this porter rocks, though.”Haiku #5, collect ‘em all.Pouring this into a Flat Earth snifter, maybe not the perfect vessel, but my FE pint glass is dirty. Dark, fairly black, nicely toasted tan head. Roasty, bittersweet nose, some espresso notes, cocoa, vanilla & cream. Rye really comes through.Solid. Good entry on the palate, even, smoothish, well-balanced, dry finish. Roasty, some coffee feel, some chocolate, hardly any sweetness, ultimately dry. Medium bodied, long, dry finish. Like they say on the label, it really is a porter like no other, and I’ve got to give it up for that. Very satisfactory. I’m partial to porters, and I think they’ve got a winner, here. 6.5% alcohol, a bit high for a porter, but when it’s as cold as it is tonight, I’ll take all the heat I can get!This pleases me the more I drink it. Great to have another well-done locally-brewed porter, and an acceptable alternative to Surly Bender!

February 18th, 2008

I found Cygnus X-1 didn’t live up to my expectations. It was a good beer, I could drink more then one in a sitting, but it wasn’t as flavorful as I was expecting. I could taste the creamy chocolate but maybe I’m not experienced enough to appreciate such subtle flavors. I guess I like my porters with a little more punch.

February 18th, 2008

I shared a bottle of Cygnus X-1 with my friend Kase as I got to meet his new baby Miles tonight. Both the beer and the baby were quite enjoyable. I would also describe both as light, Miles because he’s a 7 lb baby, and the beer because despite the creamy flavor it felt crisp and light in my mouth. The similarities end there for I did not taste the baby, much to Kase’s relief. I will definitely be having more of this beer, and I hope to be invited back to see Miles again.